The present invention relates to hydraulic fluid hose routing devices and more particularly relates to a bracket for supporting hydraulic hoses routed across the pivot assembly of articulated framework.
Many vehicles and/or equipment include an articulated framework having a pivot assembly across which a plurality of hydraulic fluid hoses pass for conveying pressure fluid to and conveying return fluid from hydraulic actuators carried by one part of the framework. An example of such vehicles and/or equipment are backhoes which are constructed such as to include a swing frame pivotally connected to a support frame by a vertical pivot assembly. The backhoe boom, dipperstick, bucket and associated hydraulic actuators are borne by the swing frame and the latter conventionally has a manifold block mounted thereon to which a plurality of hydraulic hoses are coupled for conveying hydraulic fluid to and from the actuators as dictated by operation of a bank of control valves mounted on the support frame. U.S. Pat. No. 3,627,155 granted to Van der Zyl on Dec. 14, 1971 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,239,168 granted to Wiemann et al on Mar. 8, 1966 disclose structures representative of these prior art backhoes.
These prior art backhoe structures suffer the disadvantage of the manifolds therefore being relatively expensive to manufacture and of being relatively difficult to service in the event that the manifolds require replacement.